


Gotta Get My Timin' Right

by amy1705



Category: White Collar
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-10-01
Packaged: 2018-04-24 06:12:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4908391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amy1705/pseuds/amy1705
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal and Peter trapped in an elevator</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gotta Get My Timin' Right

**Author's Note:**

  * For [frith_in_thorns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/frith_in_thorns/gifts).



> for frithinthorns, the title is from Aerosmith's Love in an Elevator  
> thanks to Jason for his quick beta edit yesterday.

Special Agent Peter Burke of the FBI White Collar unit of the Manhattan office was running late.

"I gotta go honey, we're about to meet the informant". He sticks his phone in an outside pocket once he realizes the elevator door is open and the empty car is waiting for them.

He glances at the man at his side, Neal Caffrey, convicted felon, confidential informant and one of his closest friends.

 

"Are you sure this guy is legit?" he asks as the door closes and the elevator begins to ascend, carrying them to the meeting on the 37th floor of the unfinished building.

"Yes, Peter. I have it on the best authority."

"You mean Mozzie don't you?"

"My source prefers to remain anonymous." Neal keeps a straight face with only a small sly smile to betray him.

"Mozzie," the FBI agent mutters under his breath.

Neal glances at the gps/recorder watch on his wrist. "We are right on time Mr. Hamilton."

"Thank you Mr.Burr" The informant had insisted on an alias for everyone. Even though they had run the paperwork he had smuggled to them and knew his identity they complied so he would not be spooked before he game them the computer files.

 

Suddenly the elevator shudders, screams and grinds to a halt, throwing both men to the floor.

"What the hell was that?"

"The elevator stopped. I think it's stuck."

"Neal, are you okay?"

"Yeah I am. Just a couple of scrapes on my hands. Do they look infected?"

Peter tries to stand but his left leg buckles when he puts weight on it.

"Oh shit my knee, I must have banged it when I fell."

 

They hear El's voice from the corner of the elevator. Peter's cell phone is lying face up, the cracked screen visible to both men.

"Peter, you forgot to hang up. Did you drop the phone again?"

"Neal call the office and tell them what's happened."

"I can't I left my phone in the car. He said no phones remember."

"Why do you still have yours?"

"I was talking to El. It's my personal phone not my FBI issue."

 

"El, are you there?" he speaks to her over the broken phone.

"What's going on Peter? What happened?"

"The elevator is stuck. Honey. We're okay. My phone broke but you're still on the line. Diana is in the van, she should be able to hear this. Go to El's office, don't try to move her phone. We need to keep the connection open as long as possible."

\----------------------------------------

"Okay everyone, set up in the back there. Mrs. Burke we are doing everything we can to get Peter and Neal out safely. Thank you for letting us invade your office."

"Diana, I don't want you to lose the connection either.  
'

Diana tells her boss the bad news, "Peter, NYPD found Charles Hughes body in his hotel room. They know he was meeting someone at that construction site."

"They found out he was going to blow the whistle," the senior agent says in a grim tone.

\---------------------------------------  
Peter and Neal are seated on the elevator floor, talking.

"Another hour? Okay thanks Diana." Peter grumbles and looks at Neal, who is enjoying the experience way too much for the agent's taste. "We're going to be here awhile longer."

"I always loved those TV shows where the two main characters hated each other. They ended up being best buddies after being stuck in an elevator together," Neal chirps.

"Too trite for me. It's been overdone."

Suddenly there is a heavy screeching noise and the elevator car shakes and falls 3 stories.  
Neal hits his head on the wall and slides to the floor.

As the world fades to black, he hears El's voice saying "Peter tell him before its too late. You know you ... " There is a high burst of static and the phone goes silent.

\-------------------------------  
"El, EL!" Peter yells into the now useless mobile phone.

Neal groggily asks from behind him, "Peter, what happened?"

"Oh God Neal!, You're ok. The brakes slipped and the car dropped about three stories.  
"You hit your head, i think you might have a concussion." he slaps his partner's face.  
"Don’t fall asleep on me Neal."

"Soo sleepy, leave me alone."

"You need to wake up." Peter searches his pockets and comes up with a cellophone wrapped piece of candy.

"Here Neal have a peppermint. That'll keep you awake.

Neal sucks on the peppermint and gradually comes back to himself.

"What was El talking about? Is something wrong with me?"

"No, no its all mine."

"Are you sick? Are you dying? Peter, do you have cancer? Do you have a tumor? That mole on your neck, is it a tumor?"

"No its not a tumor!!!"

Peter stops, realizes what he just said and laughs, "I can't believe I just said that!”

He continues. "I am fine, physically. El was talking about something else I've been dealing with emotionally.

He takes Neal's gps watch and whacks it against the elevator wall so that it breaks and is rendered useless.

"What the blazes was that for?"

"There can't be any record of what I am going to tell you or it's my job and your freedom."

Peter stares into those light blue eyes and says, "I seem to have fallen in love with my CI."

"You're in love with Moz? That's rather unexpected."

Exasperated, Peter growls, "Neal, I mean you!! I love you, Neal Caffrey."

"Oh!! It's about damn time you realized that," Neal smiles and reaches up to gently caress Peter's cheek.

 

That brief moment where a simple touch alchemizes into desire, where the air itself gets heavy and every blink and gesture is fraught with a hundred emotions and meanings, all shading to one meaning and one emotion, desire for another human being.

This was one of those moments that are forever imprinted on the soul of a relationship.

Peter kisses Neal with all the pent up frustration of working side by side with someone you love and care for but never acknowledge. Neal begins to return the kiss with increased ardor. A grinding noise and the elevator doors opening cause them to quickly pull apart.

Jones peers up at them from the floor below as the doors open to reveal they are between floors.

"Good job, Jones, now help us get down from here." Peter laughingly says to the agent.  
\-----------------------------------------------------

Peter is on the phone to El as the EMT's check out Neal.

"We're fine honey. Everything is fine. Neal is coming home with me tonight. He may have a concussion and he needs someone to take care of him. It looks like we've volunteered for the job." Peter replies to his wife. "We will be there soon. Love you."

Neal walks over to Peter as the medical techs let him go. He has a bandage over the cuts on his forehead.

"Maybe you were right about the "trapped-in-an-elevator" shows being trite." Neal says. "I feel vaguely silly."

"What about those shows where they ended up realizing their love for each other?" Peter asks.

"Those were the best ones of all." Neal replies with a smile on his lips and love in his heart.


End file.
